If your spouseUnder the ''Divorce Act'', either of two people who are married to one another, whether of the same or opposite genders. Under the ''Family Law Act'', married spouses, unmarried parties who have lived together in a marriage-like relationship for at least two years, and, for all purposes of the act other than the division of property or debt, unmarried parties who have lived together for less than two years but have had a child together. See "marriage" and "marriage-like relationship." sponsored you and you have separated, you have the right to remain in Canada as long as you are a permanent resident or a citizen.

Before April 28, 2017 some permanent resident status was conditional. A conditional permanent resident was required to live with their sponsor for 2 years. As of April 28, 2017 the Government of Canada has eliminated this condition. This change applies to anyone who was subject to this condition as well as persons sponsored in the future.

If you are a permanent resident immigration officials cannot ask you to leave Canada if you separate from your spouse unless they believe the marriage was not genuine.

What if I'm not a permanent resident?

If you are not a permanent resident and you want to remain in Canada, you may do one of two things:

First steps

Get help from a lawyerA person licensed to practice law in a particular jurisdiction. See "barrister and solicitor." or a settlementA resolution of one or more issues in a court proceeding or legal dispute with the agreement of the parties to the proceeding or dispute, usually recorded in a written agreement or in an order that all parties agree the court should make. A court proceeding can be settled at any time before the conclusion of trial. See "action," "consent order," "family law agreements" and "offer." or community agency:

If you cannot afford a lawyer, apply for legal aid. See legal aid representation in the Resource List. To get legal aid you must be financially eligible and your case must have a reasonable chance of success.

If you do not qualify for legal aid, contactA term under the ''Family Law Act'' that describes the visitation rights of a person who is not a guardian with a child. Contact may be provided by court order or by the agreement among the child's guardians who have parental responsibility for determining contact. See "guardian" and "parental responsibilities." an immigration settlement agency. See Sponsorship Breakdown for a list of community workers and settlement agencies, or use the WelcomeBC Settlement Services Map].